Almost everyone we met who was on a long trip cut it short at the end. It’s as though there’s a time bomb waiting to go off when you get into the last month. I’m sure if we’d had three more months to go, we’d have traveled around happily. But with three weeks to go the prospect of being at home was too nice and so the flights were brought forward and plans to surprise people were made.
With Heather’s help, we surprised my parents, though the best we got from my Dad was “oh, you’re early.” As though we were due in another hour or so. I don’t think I’ve ever surprised him, well that’s not true, I jumped up and knocked one of his teeth out with my head when I was about 6, and that was a surprise, but not one either of us would want to repeat. (Sorry Dad). Next day we were off to Scarborough. We waited for Vicky’s brother to get home from work hidden at the bottom of the street. We jumped out of the car once he’d pulled onto his drive, only to find he’d forgotten his keys and was driving off again (they turned out to be on his key ring, helpfully put there by Kerry to prevent him losing them.) So Vicky resorted to standing in his way in the road with her back turned to annoy him. He neither realized it was Vicky nor got annoyed, so Vicky turned around and gave him 2 fingers. Suitably reunited with Philip we went to find Harry, we’d been looking forward to seeing him and it was great to spend time with him again. We found Kerry too and went and got a fish supper. Proper british food! Tastes amazing and leaves you feeling that you really shouldn’t have had it. Gorgeous.
Next onto Manchester to surprise Mike. Mike wasn’t at home, but Matt and Ally were. Ally gave the surprise away when Mike called home (she didn’t know it was a surprise). That was just as well because Mike has become dedicated to work now that he spends his time in an office (spends all morning on the internet and then stays late to make up for it and to look keen to his boss) So he ditched the plans for a late night at work and came home. We parked our car diagonally across the drive to annoy Lisa when she got home from work. She arrived back, called Mike on his mobile and I could clearly hear the words “I don’t care where the car came from, MOVE IT” We called a halt to the joke, Mike went to move the car and Lisa brightened up when she realized it was us. She later showed us Mike’s new storage solution, it’s all welded together, and as Lisa said, “it’s amazing, I don’t know how he thought of it, I never would have thought of it, he’s so clever, it’s all welded together and not many people can do that.” We were so impressed, we got on our knees and worshiped at the feet of Mike the storage god. Lisa finally sensed our mood and hit me round the head. I think I deserved it.
During our time at home we were lucky enough to enjoy three xmas celebrations (one with Scarborough family, one with Washington family and the other with our canoe club family in Glasgow at Panda and Nick’s lovely new house) and at each one we were spoilt rotten. We enjoyed spending time with Lynne, Andrew and their children Harry and Katie (who were as gorgeous as ever). We also very much enjoyed being introduced to Oliver Hay who is sooooo cute. All our friends’ children have grown so much whilst we had been away, Paula’s boys are now confident little toddlers and Sarah’s Sophia is a very beautiful and extremely active young lady!
A fortnight wasn’t long enough unfortunately and we didn’t get to see everyone we would have liked or spent as much time as I’d have wanted with everyone so I’m already looking forward to catching up with everyone on our return, in particular Tegen, Amelia (and her sister or brother), Isabel, Gill’s little un and Mary’s babe (blimey, you lot are like rabbits!).
We had two new year celebrations each drunken madness. The first was on new year in Glasgow with most of the gang. All the missing members of the gang recieved a 3am singalong phonecall to remind them we missing them even if they didn't care because they were asleep. The second new year was in manchester, Mike and Lisa were missing for the real new year, so we bought booze, downloaded auld lang syne and 500 miles and had another new year. It was great, so we wited till 4am and called all the members of the gang that were at the first party but who had missed the second. They were gratefull we think.
With Heather’s help, we surprised my parents, though the best we got from my Dad was “oh, you’re early.” As though we were due in another hour or so. I don’t think I’ve ever surprised him, well that’s not true, I jumped up and knocked one of his teeth out with my head when I was about 6, and that was a surprise, but not one either of us would want to repeat. (Sorry Dad). Next day we were off to Scarborough. We waited for Vicky’s brother to get home from work hidden at the bottom of the street. We jumped out of the car once he’d pulled onto his drive, only to find he’d forgotten his keys and was driving off again (they turned out to be on his key ring, helpfully put there by Kerry to prevent him losing them.) So Vicky resorted to standing in his way in the road with her back turned to annoy him. He neither realized it was Vicky nor got annoyed, so Vicky turned around and gave him 2 fingers. Suitably reunited with Philip we went to find Harry, we’d been looking forward to seeing him and it was great to spend time with him again. We found Kerry too and went and got a fish supper. Proper british food! Tastes amazing and leaves you feeling that you really shouldn’t have had it. Gorgeous.
Next onto Manchester to surprise Mike. Mike wasn’t at home, but Matt and Ally were. Ally gave the surprise away when Mike called home (she didn’t know it was a surprise). That was just as well because Mike has become dedicated to work now that he spends his time in an office (spends all morning on the internet and then stays late to make up for it and to look keen to his boss) So he ditched the plans for a late night at work and came home. We parked our car diagonally across the drive to annoy Lisa when she got home from work. She arrived back, called Mike on his mobile and I could clearly hear the words “I don’t care where the car came from, MOVE IT” We called a halt to the joke, Mike went to move the car and Lisa brightened up when she realized it was us. She later showed us Mike’s new storage solution, it’s all welded together, and as Lisa said, “it’s amazing, I don’t know how he thought of it, I never would have thought of it, he’s so clever, it’s all welded together and not many people can do that.” We were so impressed, we got on our knees and worshiped at the feet of Mike the storage god. Lisa finally sensed our mood and hit me round the head. I think I deserved it.
During our time at home we were lucky enough to enjoy three xmas celebrations (one with Scarborough family, one with Washington family and the other with our canoe club family in Glasgow at Panda and Nick’s lovely new house) and at each one we were spoilt rotten. We enjoyed spending time with Lynne, Andrew and their children Harry and Katie (who were as gorgeous as ever). We also very much enjoyed being introduced to Oliver Hay who is sooooo cute. All our friends’ children have grown so much whilst we had been away, Paula’s boys are now confident little toddlers and Sarah’s Sophia is a very beautiful and extremely active young lady!
A fortnight wasn’t long enough unfortunately and we didn’t get to see everyone we would have liked or spent as much time as I’d have wanted with everyone so I’m already looking forward to catching up with everyone on our return, in particular Tegen, Amelia (and her sister or brother), Isabel, Gill’s little un and Mary’s babe (blimey, you lot are like rabbits!).We had two new year celebrations each drunken madness. The first was on new year in Glasgow with most of the gang. All the missing members of the gang recieved a 3am singalong phonecall to remind them we missing them even if they didn't care because they were asleep. The second new year was in manchester, Mike and Lisa were missing for the real new year, so we bought booze, downloaded auld lang syne and 500 miles and had another new year. It was great, so we wited till 4am and called all the members of the gang that were at the first party but who had missed the second. They were gratefull we think.
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